Apparatus for the erection of tunnel linings



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J. A. M. CLARK 3,075,359 APPARATUS FOR THE ERECTION OF TUNNEL LININGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 29, 1963 Filed July 7, 1958 INVENTOR b l AH A 3 NAN N 8 o 9 1 Q Q I MQ mw\ 1:1,, \N v Nu? H m R Q 0 A n i A A iv. I Q In a! I JAMES A. M. CLARK Atks.

Jan. 29, 1963 J. A. M. CLARK 3,075,359

APPARATUS FOR THE ERECTION OF TUNNEL LININGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 7, 1958 INVENT R JAMES A. VLC'LARK Jan. 29, 1963 J, A, M, CLARK 3,075,359

APPARATUS FOR THE. ERECTION OF TUNNEL LININGS Filed July 7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 m3 INVENTOR JAMES A. M. CLARK 3,075,359 APPARATUS non THE ERECTION OF TUNNEL LLININGS Qlarh, London, England, as-

& Son Limited, London;

This invention relates to apparatus for use in the erection of blocks or slabs to form a lining for a tunnel.

In apparatus, in accordance with the invention, a number of blocks or equivalent members) are supported on an arm pivoted at one side of the tunnel and raised into position in the upper arch of a tunnel lining by pivoting the arm about its pivot, by jackinglmeans.

From another aspect, apparatus for erecting the upper half of a tunnel lining comprises, in accordance with the invention, a pair ofarms-curved on their upper surface to substantially the inner curvatureof the lining. Each arm is movable by hydraulic or other jacks about a pivot at one side of the tunnel from a position in which the arm lies across the tunnel to a position in which its upper surface conforms'substantially to the inner surface of the lining; A vertical elevator is provided at the centre of the'tunnel, the arrangement being such that side blocks of the lining placed on the upper surface of the arms in their lowermost position can be raised on these arms and a key block lifted on the elevator to complete the arch with the raised groups of side blocks.

The pivots about which the arm are moved are preferably mounted on two slides mutually at right angles so that the arm can be adjusted so that the blocks in the raised position are aligned with the blocks in the lower half of the lining and are also aligned with previously completed rings.

The arms and the elevator are preferably mounted on the framework of a shield, for example of the Greathead type, behind which the tunnel is excavated.

Apparatus according to the invention is particularly though not essentially adapted for use in the erection of a tunnel lining in which the upper half of the lining after assembly is raised as a whole into contact with the surrounding ground by hydraulic jacks at each side. In this case, the arms and elevator raise the blocks into a position in which the ring is completed before it is expanded into contact with the ground.

Other parts of the invention are embodied in the preferred form which will now be described in some detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the machine in position in a tunnel, parts being omitted for clearness,

FIG. 2 is a section on line IIII of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the lifting arms in raised position,

PEG. 4 is a section on line IV-IV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational'view of support means for the pivoted arm, taken from line 55 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 6 is a plan of the support means of FIG. 5 taken from line 66 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

This form is intended for use in the erection of a plurality of precast concrete blocks 1 to form the upper half of a ring of a tunnel lining 2. A shield 3 of usual type is used in the excavation of the tunnel and on this shield are mounted two pivoted arms 4. Each arm 4 is of arcuate form and is pivoted at its outermost end, to the shield about a pivot 5 which lies as close as may be to the side of the tunnel and slightly below the centre 3,675,359 Patented Jan. 29, 19t53 line of the tunnel. The axis of. this pivot 5 is parallel to the axis of-the tunnel.

As is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pivot 5 is integrally supported on a slide 7 movable in a guideway in a direction substantially radially of the tunnel. This guideway is integral with a second slide 8 which is movable vertically in a guideway 101 mounted on the bracket 1192 which is mounted on the beam 103 extending across the shield. By adjustment of these two slides 7, 8 the pivot 5 can be accurately positioned so that the arm posi tion is correctly aligned with the tunnel. The slides 7, 8 are moved in the guideways by bolts (not shown) rotatable in brackets Hi4, ms respectively, and threaded through nuts 6, 6' integral with slides 7 and 8 respectively. The brackets 104, m5 carry bolt openings 106 and 167 respectively which may be threaded.

Each arm in its lowermost position extends from near the side of the tunnel across the center of the tunnel as shown at the left of FIG. 1-. In this position, concrete blocks 1 to form one half of the upper part of the lining ring can be placed on the upper surface of the arm, suitably interengaged with one another as desired and retained by books 9, 1h. The arm 4 can be raised about its pivot 5 by hydraulic jacks l1 pivoted at one end 18 to the arm and at the other end 19 to the shield to a position shown to the right of FIG. 1 in which the blocks carried by it are substantially in their final position, the outer block on the arm being laid on the top block of the previously formed lower half 12 of the ring and the blocks as a whole being close up to the preceding ring of the lining.

When the blocks of one side have been positioned by one arm, those of the other side are similarly positioned by the other arm.

Mounted on the shield 3 on the vertical center line of the tunnel is a vertical elevator 13 which is hydraulically operated by the hydraulic jack M. The jack 14 is mounted in front of the plane of movement of the arms 4 and the elevator platform 15 when in use projects rearwardly and is supported by the strut 16. The elevator may be lowered suliiciently to lie clear of the paths of the arms 4 or, as shown, the platform 15 may be pivoted so that when the strut 16 is disengaged it can fall to a position clear of the arms 4. A key block 17 is placed on this elevator in its lower position and raised by the elevator to a position between the two inner blocks on the two raised arms. A complete ring of blocks is thus formed. This ring is then expanded by hydraulic jacks inserted between blocks at the sides of the lining, and fixed in this position by concrete cast in situ or by other means inserted in the space occupied by the hydraulic jacks.

The elevator and the arms can then be lowered ready for the erection of another lining ring as the shield is moved on.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the details of the preferred form described by way of example which may be modified without departure from the broad ideas underlying them.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for lifting a plurality of blocks to form elevated portions of a tunnel lining, comprising a tubular tunnel shield conforming in shape to a tunnel to be constructed, support means secured to said shield and having portions at each of opposite sides of the shield, a pair of block supporting arms each of the same general shape as an upper segment of the shield, each arm being movably supported in a horizontal block loading position transversely of said shield, pivot means rotatably supporting said arms on said opposite support portions to move each arm about an axis parallel to the axis of said shield from said loading position to a raised position adjacent an upper ameess a segment of the shield periphery, and jack means connecting said arms to the support means for moving said arms from said loading to said raised positions, said jack means being pivotally connected to. each arm when in its loading position at a point spaced inwardly toward the axis of the shell with respect to said pivot means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shield is circular and the arms are arcuate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an elevator is mounted on said support means intermediate of said pair of arms for raising a keystone block into position between the blocks raised by the arms, and means is provided for raising said elevator substantially vertically.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said pivot means for each of the arms includes two slides mutually at right angles so that the arms can be adjusted in their ioading positions to accurateiy position the blocks when lifted to align with prepositioned blocks in the lower portion of the tunnel lining and also to align with previously positioned blocks ringing the periphery of the tunnel.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said pivot means includes a pivot at each of said opposite portions of the support means positioned close to the shield and substantially in a horizontal plane including said axis of the shield.

6. Apparatus for lifting a plurality of blocks to form elevated portions of a tunnel lining, comprising a tubular tunnel shield conforming in shape to a tunnel to be constructed, support means secured to said shield and having portions at eachof opposite sides of the shield, a pair of block supporting arms each of the same general shape as an upper segment of the shield, each arm being movably supported in a horizontal block loading position transversely of said shield, pivot means rotatably supporting said arms. on said opposite support portions to move each arm about an axis parallel to the axis of said shield from said loading position to a raised position adjacent an upper segment of the shield periphery, block securing means on each arm for holding the blocks during movement from said loading to said raised position, and jack means connecting said arms to the support means for moving said arms from said loading to said raised positions, said jack means being pivotally connected to each arm when in its loading position at a point spaced inwardly toward the axis of the shell with respect to said ivot means.

References \Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. APPARATUS FOR LIFTING A PLURALITY OF BLOCKS TO FORM ELEVATED PORTIONS OF A TUNNEL LINING, COMPRISING A TUBULAR TUNNEL SHIELD CONFORMING IN SHAPE TO A TUNNEL TO BE CONSTRUCTED, SUPPORT MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHIELD AND HAVING PORTIONS AT EACH OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SHIELD, A PAIR OF BLOCK SUPPORTING ARMS EACH OF THE SAME GENERAL SHAPE AS AN UPPER SEGMENT OF THE SHIELD, EACH ARM BEING MOVABLY SUPPORTED IN A HORIZONTAL BLOCK LOADING POSITION TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SHIELD, PIVOT MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID ARMS ON SAID OPPOSITE SUPPORT PORTIONS TO MOVE EACH ARM ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHIELD FROM SAID LOADING POSITION TO A RAISED POSITION ADJACENT AN UPPER SEGMENT OF THE SHIELD PERIPHERY, AND JACK MEANS CONNECTING SAID ARMS TO THE SUPPORT MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ARMS FROM SAID LOADING TO SAID RAISED POSITIONS, SAID JACK MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO EACH ARM WHEN IN ITS LOADING POSITION AT A POINT SPACED INWARDLY TOWARD THE AXIS OF THE SHELL WITH RESPECT TO SAID PIVOT MEANS. 